ALLY McCOIST last night insisted Rangers will come back stronger from the Third Division exile imposed by the SFL yesterday.

ALLY McCOIST last night insisted Rangers will come back stronger from the Third Division exile imposed by the SFL yesterday.

The Ibrox boss believes it will take his newco club longer to re-establish itself as a force in the game but is adamant Rangers will recover.

But it remains to be seen if some of the SPL clubs who initially banished them will survive the massive financial implications of yesterday’s historic vote. Only five of the SFL’s 30 clubs wanted to send Rangers into the First Division – with the 25 others voting them into the bottom tier.

McCoist and his chief executive, Charles Green, have accepted the decision and now want to be allowed to move on – although the SPL annual general meeting on Monday could yet deliver more twists to an extraordinary tale.

McCoist said: “I fully accept the decision of the SFL today and thank them for allowing us into the SFL.

“Clearly, starting again from the bottom league is not ideal and makes the task of rebuilding Rangers a longer one.

“But the SFL was placed in an impossible situation and I respect its decision.

“I fully supported the fans’ views that starting again in Division Three maintains the sporting integrity SPL clubs were so keen on.

“The SPL clubs and the SFA have made their positions clear over the past few weeks and it remains to be seen what the long-term effects of their decisions will be.

“Rangers has been severely punished for the actions of some individuals who previously ran the club and it will take time for us to recover.

“But we’ll come back stronger thanks to the loyalty of the fans and commitment of everyone at Ibrox who are working tirelessly to bring stability and success back to Rangers.”

Green, who addressed the SFL meeting before their vote but did not ask to be placed in any specific division, urged Rangers fans to attend their games home and away in the bottom league.

He said: “We are grateful to be accepted as members of the SFL and accept their decision to vote us into the Third Division.

“It is a matter of regret for all of us involved with Rangers the issues surrounding the club resulted in the SFL and its members being placed in a difficult position not of their own making.

“From the outset, we made clear we would play where we were told to play and we just want to get back to playing football. This decision maintains the sporting integrity clubs and fans across Scotland have been calling for.

“But it also impacts massively on Scottish football as a whole and only time will tell what the consequences will be.

“Rangers has been handed the ultimate punishment of starting again from the bottom of the leagues but there is an overwhelming feeling among fans and within the club of wiping the slate clean as a club free of sanctions.

“The people who brought shame on this great club are no longer part of it and everyone at Rangers is focused on rebuilding on top of a solid financial foundation.

“We wish to play a constructive part in the Third Division and encourage our fans to support other clubs within the league by attending matches and delivering to them the benefits of having Rangers within their league.

“We’ve been greatly encouraged by the number of supporters who have committed to buying season tickets no matter where we ended up playing and I want to thank them.

“We just want to get back to playing football.

“Our task to rebuild the club will take longer now but we are committed to the job and fully believe we will bring success back to Rangers.”